It was very disappointing to learn this morning that, once again, Marvin Miller was not elected to the Hall of Fame. Over the entire scope of the last half of the Twentieth Century no other individual had as much influence on the game of baseball as did Marvin Miller. Under his leadership, the Major League Baseball Players Association became an effective and forceful representative of the Players, and the Players, acting together, were able to successfully obtain appropriate working conditions. That the MLBPA remains an effective representative of the Players today, more than a quarter century after Marvin retired, is a testament to the enduring quality of the organization he and the Players created.

Because he was the Players' voice, and represented them vigorously, Marvin Miller was the owners' adversary. This time around, a majority of those voting were owner representatives, and results of the vote demonstrate the effect that had. In the last vote, Marvin received 63% of the votes, this time he got 25%. By contrast, Bowie Kuhn received 17% of the votes last time, but got 83% this time.

The failure to elect Marvin Miller is an unfortunate and regrettable decision. Without question, the Hall of Fame is poorer for it.